How to pronounce vowels in English words

[nhatruc]

Dear all.

When listening to English. Eeach vowel be able to have 3 sounds.

Long sound, short sound and schwa.

for example at a vowel:

Long sound: ape , explain, train
Short sound: at, taxi, tackle
Schwa sound: about, mechanism, consonant.

for example to e vowel:

Long sound: eat , meat
Short sound: dentist, pentagon
Schwa sound: item, strategy, proprietary.... and so on.


I want to know when one certain vowel being able to sounded at Schwa .

If someone know, please share your knowledge to me.
I'm expecting for your reply.
Your sincerely

[Soup]

Vowels that don't carry syllable stress:

a'bout,
me'chan'ism,
con'so'nant
i'tem,
stra'te'gy,
pro'pri'e'tary

[nhatruc]

Thank your idea.Please could you show me. Which rule Vowels don't carry syllable stress in every English words.For example: dictionary, secrectary, conversation, computer and so on...I'm expecting for your reply.Your sincerely

[BobK]

Originally Posted by nhatruc

Please could you show me. Which rule Vowels don't carry syllable stress in every English words.For example: dictionary...

Exactly.

b

[Soup]

Originally Posted by nhatruc

Thank your idea.Please could you show me. Which rule Vowels don't carry syllable stress in every English words.For example: dictionary, secrectary, conversation, computer and so on...I'm expecting for your reply.Your sincerely

Bob's right. The dictionary lists word stress.

[nhatruc]

Thank your ideas. How many words are in English? The answer is more than 100'000 words. If I want to know one certain word has schwa sound I have to check dictionary and memorise it. It's terrible. How is my brain? My good question hasn't still have best answer. However I must follow your idea, because no have better method

[BobK]

I'm afraid that's the only thing you can do.

When I was studying Phonology many years ago, the lecturer advertised a 1-hr seminar on the topic 'Is English word stress predictable?' at the unpopular time of 09.00 on a Saturday. One joker in the audience asked 'I can't make that time; could you tell me the short answer?' The answer was No - not that you can't predict stress, but that the descriptive rules (which the lecturer claimed could be specified) are too complex; it's quicker just to use a dictionary.

Good luck.

b

[up4ever]

hi Dears,

the "schewa" sound is regarded as the weakest sound in English. so, it is sometimes written between brackets to indicate its optional usage.

[nhatruc]

Originally Posted by up4ever

hi Dears,

the "schewa" sound is regarded as the weakest sound in English. so, it is sometimes written between brackets to indicate its optional usage.

Could you give here some examples to explain your idea?bracket ['brækit], sometime ['s^mtaim], pronunciation .. and so on. Where is weakest sound?

[seba_870701]

Originally Posted by nhatruc

Could you give here some examples to explain your idea?bracket ['brækit], sometime ['s^mtaim], pronunciation .. and so on. Where is weakest sound?

Up4ever ment that vowel schwa may be ommitted in the pronunciation and it is sometimes marked in the phonetic transcription by putting the symbol in brackets: (Ə).
S~